Now, as the hours count down towards England’s opening match, even the organiser Di Cunningham, Chair of Pride in Football, is expressing her concerns;

“There have been a lot of LGBT+ fans who have felt unable to come and who have expressed that concern, and have expressed concern for people like me that are coming,”

[I’m getting] constant messages, saying “stay safe”. It is very nice but actually, it raises your anxiety levels even more.

While same-sex relationships were decriminalised in Russia in 1993, LGBT+ couples still do not receive the same rights as opposite-sex couples and there are currently no laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.

England’s match versus Tunisia kicks off at 7pm tonight, with live coverage on BBC1.